


the blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine

by literallynoonecares



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, F/M, I saw Goody Reylo with the devil am I right ladies?, Salem Witch Trials, split POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:15:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26781247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literallynoonecares/pseuds/literallynoonecares
Summary: Leia Organa is burned at the stake early in the morning. Her brother Luke watches, horrified. He’s unable to do anything -- the judge convicted her swiftly of being a witch. She had no chance. Luke couldn’t fight it too hard -- although he’s a man they still might have tried for collusion. And he had the household to look after, he had the people who worked for them to think about.Especially Rey, the young witch who’s employed as their house maid. Luke had to warn her. Up until Leia, they hadn’t burned any actual witches, but now it’s gotten too close for comfort. Half of their coven has been burned. They had to be incredibly careful. Rey had to hide, she couldn’t risk anyone assuming that she was also a witch.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35
Collections: Reylo Readers & Writers - The Spooktacular Collection





	the blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine

**Author's Note:**

> for the reylo readers & writers spooktacular day 10: witches!
> 
> enjoy this lil salem witch trials era AU
> 
> (the title is from hozier's cherry wine)

  
Leia Organa is burned at the stake early in the morning. Her brother Luke watches, horrified. He’s unable to do anything -- the judge convicted her swiftly of being a witch. She had no chance. Luke couldn’t fight it too hard -- although he’s a man they still might have tried for collusion. And he had the household to look after, he had the people who worked for them to think about. 

Especially Rey, the young witch who’s employed as their house maid. Luke had to warn her. Up until Leia, they hadn’t burned any _actual_ witches, but now it’s gotten too close for comfort. Half of their coven has been burned. They had to be incredibly careful. Rey had to hide, she couldn’t risk anyone assuming that she was also a witch. 

Luke rushes back to the home and finds Rey panicking. She has white candles lit around the table, trying to cast a blessing spell. Luke blows them out without second thought.

“I _felt_ her die,” Rey says exasperatedly, terror in her voice. 

“I know. She would want you to be safe, Rey. You need to get out of here. Take the spell books. Place protection charms around you. Use your magic to hide yourself and leave,” Luke instructs, and Rey’s brain is so fuzzy she can barely think straight. 

“Where?” 

“A different town. A different colony. You’ll be fine. I have your papers and I’m giving you enough money to be okay. Use your magic wisely and covertly. Don’t get caught, Rey. Leia would want you to survive.”

Rey gulps, the lump in her throat and the pit in her stomach overwhelming her senses. 

Luke hugs her, and pushes her away and out the door. 

“They’re going to be looking for you soon. They’ve set out three new search parties for witches. People are accusing each other left and right. There isn’t more time,” he says. 

“What about you?” Rey asks. 

“I’ll be fine. They never think to accuse the men,” Luke replies, almost defeatedly. 

Rey nods, gathers her things, and sets off into the woods.

She forces herself not to break down and gets to a deep part of the woods before she allows herself to pull out her spell book and protect herself thoroughly.

🎃🎃🎃

Kylo Ren hears of Leia Organa’s death early the next morning before he’s due in court to prosecute a different witch trial. 

He’s never had to work harder in his life to not react -- he’s stoic, almost frozen in place. His features are sharp and unforgiving, and he nods along with the other lawyers as they discuss how _good_ it is their town has taken such a hardline stance on witches. They wouldn’t be like some other towns, overrun with them and in ruins. 

Kylo pretends to agree, but feels his insides _twist_. A hard knot of regret, longing, and anger. He excuses himself and takes a long walk, ignoring the leader of his coven’s voice in the back of his head reminding him of his duty. Of his responsibility to stay in his position of power, to protect the witches and warlocks in his own coven. 

But in doing so, he’d let Snoke send Leia Organa’s coven to the wolves. In complying with Snoke, he had sat on the sidelines while his mother *died,* unable to stop it for fear of outing himself as a warlock as well. 

What had he done?

He sees Luke in front of the courthouse that afternoon and Kylo locks eyes with him. 

And Kylo just _knows_ Luke has something to say to him. Something important. Maybe even to scold Kylo. But Luke won’t actually say anything. Instead, he walks away, pulling his hooded cloak around him tighter. 

_Coward_ , Kylo thinks and it’s not clear if he’s referring to Luke or himself. 

Perhaps it’s both. 

“Mr. Ren, we’re preparing to gather witches tonight. We’ve received information about quite a few girls,” another lawyer says to him, snapping him out of his trance. 

“I’ll be ready to prosecute in the morning,” Kylo says flatly.

🎃🎃🎃

Rey can sense the crowds gathering outside of the woods. She can sense a few other women running trying desperately to hide. She feels for them, because they’re not even witches. But Rey...

Rey hides herself well enough with her magic. She flips through her spell book, finding a spell to protect others, and hopes it’s enough to save these women. 

She allows herself a moment of respite before continuing onward, perching herself on a rock and gathering her thoughts. She had no real plan, but she knew she’d have to travel a decent amount to get far away from people who suspected her of being a witch. She’s about to get up, force herself to continue onward because Luke gave so much to protect her and Leia is _dead_ when she hears the trees jostle and she knows it’s not wind. 

He shouldn’t be able to see her. He shouldn’t be able to tell she’s in these woods. But she can tell he does. And she freezes, unable to think or move. 

He’s so *tall* and imposing in her space. They lock eyes and she tries to will her brain into thinking of a plan, into thinking of a spell she can cast without using her spell book which is too far away for her to reach without him noticing.

“I saw Goody Johnson with the devil indeed,” Kylo says. His voice is low and threatening. 

“How do you know my name?” she asks, stepping backward and tripping over a branch. He doesn’t let her gain the space, taking just as many steps forward. 

“You know who I am,” he replies. 

“I don’t. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know your name. I don’t know anything about you,” she says, and she’s not lying. He scans her face, and she knows he’s searching for a tell -- anything to give her up. 

He doesn’t find it. 

“Kylo Ren,” he replies, his voice not as threatening as before. This time almost defeated. 

“ _You’re_ Kylo Ren?” Rey’s jaw drops. 

This cannot be real. Kylo Ren could not be standing in front of her. He’s the prosecuting attorney of ninety percent of the witch trials in their town. She had been caught by _Kylo Ren._ Her magic failed. She’d lost. She feels like a disappointment to Leia’s legacy. To everything Luke and Leia taught her about being a witch. She’d certainly be burned at the stake in the morning. 

“You don’t know, do you?” Kylo’s frown is more prominent. 

“What? That you’re the person leading so many innocent women to their death because you’re scared? Of course I know,” she’s defiant as ever. He takes it in stride and doesn’t look caught off guard in the slightest. 

“Never mind, Goody Johnson,” Kylo concedes. 

There’s something about his reaction that confuses Rey. It’s like he’s disappointed in something. There’s a disconnect floating in the air that Rey wants to chase but she knows she shouldn’t. She brushes the thought away and continues to wracks through her brain for spells. She’s frantic, desperate for a way out of the situation. 

It’s reckless, she thinks. A surefire way for Kylo Ren to send her to be burned at the stake if it doesn’t work. She practically launches herself toward him, hands snaking around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. He returns it, at first. It’s searing. Rey feels like he’s already burned her at the stake. His hand snakes around her neck and Rey lets herself lean into the kiss, her lips opening slightly.

He pulls away at first -- Rey thinks he looks dazed at the sudden lack of resolve he possessed. 

But there’s something else, too. It’s undeniable, really. Even Rey feels it. An electricity glueing the two together. Desperate for her lips to feel his again, to explore _more_. She gathers her wits about her enough to issue a warning.

“A lawyer kissing a house maid from a house accused of witch craft? That doesn’t look very good for you, Mr. Ren.” 

As calculated as the kiss was, as much as it was a necessity to survive the day, Rey can’t push away how magnetized it felt. How they’re pulling toward each other in an unstoppable way. 

“No one would ever believe you,” Kylo states. 

And Rey knows he’s right. She’s nobody. She was a house maid in a household with three convicted witches. She had no connections, to reason for them to spare her life. If they hadn’t given Leia Organa any leeway, they certainly wouldn’t give a nobody like Rey Johnson. 

Kylo’s eyes sear against her face like he’s trying to pry into her mind. She guards her thoughts a little closer. She moves closer to her spell book and her things. He moves with her, never letting her get too far away. He could always reach out and grasp her and it would be over for her. 

They’re both keenly aware of this fact. 

It’s a tense few moments of silence. A thread stretched taut between the two of them. Kylo _does_ grasp her arm and kisses her again. She opens her lips once more and she feels his tongue explore her mouth. She has a fleeting thought that this is _bad_ and she should be figuring out how to cast a spell without him noticing, how she needs to escape. But there’s something _delicious_ and maybe it’s the utter debauchery of it all but she refuses to stop. 

They’re falling to the ground, still tangled in each other, still kissing. It’s a mess of limbs and desire. He has her pinned down but she doesn’t feel trapped -- instead there’s something inside her that feels free. 

He sits up, on his knees in between her spread thighs.

“You really don’t know what’s going on here, do you?” Kylo shakes his head and gets up, leaving Rey on the ground.

🎃🎃🎃

Kylo has lost his mind. It’s official. He turns around, unable to face her at the moment. He let this girl -- this witch -- from his mother’s coven, kiss him. And he kissed her back. And he liked it. Wanted more. Wanted to devour her. Snoke would kill him if Snoke saw how undone Kylo had become due to this girl. 

Was there a chance she had slipped him a love potion? A love spell? Anything? He looks around and there’s nothing. He knows she hasn’t touched her spell book since he arrived. 

And he knows Luke and Leia haven’t taught her how to use her magic thoroughly without the spell book. Wasn’t that one of the reasons why Snoke got in his head and convinced Kylo to join his coven anyway?

Kylo also realizes _Rey doesn’t know_. She doesn’t know Leia was his mother. Rey doesn’t know Kylo abandoned his family to join a coven that’s done so much harm in their town. 

Rey doesn’t know he’s a warlock, and that’s why he can see through her spells to ward off the mortals in the woods. He’s not mortal. Not even close. He’s the monster in the woods the town is afraid of. His magic is so powerful he could destroy everything in town. But instead he’s calculating. Snoke’s taught him about control and power at the very least -- and he won’t jeopardize his station. He won’t jeopardize his position as a lawyer.

At the same time, he’s so damn angry. Snoke has lied to him so much. Snoke destroyed his family. Snoke made him feel like his family didn’t want him. And seeing them take in Rey, teach her witchcraft -- he always wondered if Snoke was right. 

He should have asked Luke earlier today. He should have never joined Snoke. He should have apologized to Leia. He should have used his magic for _good_ instead of torturing people. Instead of letting innocent people die for his coven’s sins. 

Would he ever make a decision he didn’t regret?

Would he ever break this cycle?

Would he ever be free of Snoke’s influence and power?

He turns around swiftly, knowing he’s taken too much time thinking. She’s still on the ground, and he knows she’s confused as hell. 

Against his better judgement, he extends a hand and she takes it. She jumps up, and he doesn’t let go of her hand. Instead, he grabs her by the waist with his other hand and kisses her again. 

He breaks the kiss and they both still when they hear footsteps approaching. She flips her body so her back is pressed into his chest. He can feel her breathing rapidly, anxious as hell. He puts his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down, but the touch makes him *feel* things and he regrets the intimacy of it all. He doesn’t even know her -- why the hell did he want to make sure she was *cared* for? 

The men searching for witches in the woods pass them without noticing them. Kylo’s magic held up -- as he knew it would, but he was impressed with Rey’s magic. The minute the men pass them and they’re alone again, Rey extracts herself from him. She turns and pushes him away. 

“ _How_ are you able to see me if they can’t?” 

🎃🎃🎃

Rey’s head spins. Her protections worked against those group of men -- but not Kylo Ren. She pushes him away, her self preservation kicking in. She refuses to give into her base instincts and her desire to hold him again. 

Because he had to be something. A warlock, a mage, *something.* Who else could have seen through her enchantments? Who else could have found her in these woods? 

She repeats her question. 

“Kylo, _how_ are you able to see me if they can’t?” 

He sighs. 

“I’m surprised Leia and Luke never told you,” is all he says. 

“What do you mean?”

“Did they never warn you to stay away from me?” 

“You’re the lead prosecutor on all the witch trials. Of course I was told to stay away from you,” Rey replies. She gathers her things and keeps them close to her chest. She notices the magnetism she’s felt between the two of them buzzes with an anxious energy. She’s not sure who originates the feeling, but it hangs in the air so much that the woods feel suffocating. 

Kylo _laughs_. It’s dark and Rey suddenly feels incredibly self conscious -- like she’s missing something so integral and it’s embarrassing. 

He takes note of this, she thinks. He stops. 

“I’m a warlock. I’m in Snoke’s coven. Second in command and all. I’m in my position to protect my own coven,” he admits. 

“Your coven is why the witch trials are happening. Your coven is the reason the mortals thought there was witchcraft happening. You used your magic for _evil_ and ruined everything,” Rey states, blood boiling. Kylo Ren is the reason Leia is dead. 

“I know that. I don’t agree with everything Snoke has done. I don’t agree with everything *I* have done. It’s hard to put into words what Snoke has done to me.”

“Try,” Rey requests, crossing her arms and still holding her spell book close to her heart. 

“He got into my mind at a young age. He’s manipulated me and set me on this course. I tried hard to resist. My family tried to help me. But it was useless. I wasn’t strong enough and I can’t blame him totally. I should have stopped Snoke from terrorizing the town. I should have done more,” Kylo says. He’s not looking at her anymore. It’s like he can’t face his regret and he refuses to confront himself or Rey. 

“And instead you sent so many innocent women to the stake. Instead you sent Leia Organa to the stake.”

Kylo’s face shoots up, suddenly more serious than ever before. 

“I did not prosecute Leia Organa. I would _never_ ,” Kylo growls. 

“Oh, you draw the line at actual witches? But no -- that’s not correct is it? You sent Goody Williams to the stake and you must have known she was in Leia’s coven,” Rey retorts. 

“I did know she was. I regret it now,” Kylo replies. 

“So what’s the difference in Leia Organa? Were you supposed to wait for your precious leader Snoke to kill her himself?” Rey’s voice is coated with acid. She wants to *tear him down.*

“I could not kill my mother,” Kylo says. It’s quiet and reserved, like he’s lost all will to fight. 

“Your mother?” Rey asks, confused. 

“Leia Organa. She was my mother. I was in that coven before Snoke seduced me. I never fit in, really. I was so tempted by the type of magic Snoke uses. I did not leave my family on good terms, to say the least,” Kylo says, and Rey feels a pang of empathy for him. She didn’t leave her own family on good terms either. 

Two sides of the same coin. 

“So *why* are you in the woods right now? Why are you hiding from the witch hunt instead of joining them?”

“I begged Snoke to leave well enough alone. I begged him to take his actions down a notch -- we were so close to being caught. I begged him to spare my mother. He did not,” Kylo replies. 

“So you’re on the run, too?” 

“I knew you would be leaving. I knew Luke wouldn’t let you stay. You’re too important to them. You’re too powerful,” Kylo says. 

“You came to follow me?” 

“I can’t let this happen anymore. I can’t be in Snoke’s coven. But I don’t know if I can go back to Leia’s -- or Luke’s now, I suppose.”

“So *what* are you doing, then?”

“I don’t know,” he admits. 

Rey scoffs and turns to leave. 

“Wait--“

He grabs her wrist, holding her in place.

“I know you don’t want to leave. I know you came from nothing, and Luke and Leia gave you the only home you’ve known. You don’t know enough about magic to be on your own,” he says. 

“I can manage,” Rey huffs, offended he thinks so low of her. 

“That’s not what I meant,” he sighs and takes a moment to collect his thoughts, “I don’t want Snoke to be in control anymore. Come back to town with me. Help me end this. I won’t be able to stop Snoke on my own.”

“You want my help now? You may not have prosecuted your mother but your hands aren’t clean,” Rey says.

“No, they’re not. But I can’t let anybody else die. I want to kill Snoke and use our combined magic to make the town forget about specific magic incidents. Please,” Kylo begs. His eyes are wide and there’s a childlike quality to the way he begs Rey for assistance. 

“Fine,” she acquiesces -- she knows he’s right and there’s a part of her that doesn’t want to leave Luke and the others. She doesn’t want to run. 

She’s always been running. She ran from her family when she started showing signs of magic. She ran from her family because they were afraid of her. She wants to just _be_.

And maybe letting Kylo Ren help her was the way to stay. The way to be stagnant for once in her life. 

“Do you trust me?” Kylo’s softer than he had been previously, and the anxiety that was in the air is gone. Now it’s hopeful, the same draw from before enchanting her, wanting to take whatever plunge he’s asking. 

“I do,” she says, giving up the ghost.

“Release the concealment spell,” he instructs. 

She hesitates. 

This would be the end of her if the men came back. She’d be dead tomorrow. 

And what’s stopping him from double crossing her?

But there’s something inside her that knows he won’t. That knows she can trust him implicitly.

*Always trust a witch’s intuition,* Leia had told her once. 

She opens her spell book and reverses her spell.

The magic falls and Rey looks around, waiting for someone to find her.

Kylo takes her hands together and ties them quickly. He kisses her on the neck and she squirms under his touch. 

“Trust me,” he reminds her. 

He grabs her bag and hides her spell book in his coat.

He leads her back toward the town. When they stumble upon a company of witch hunters, he yells for them. 

“I caught one. Leia Organa’s maid. Schedule her for prosecution tomorrow,” Kylo commands them, his voice forceful. 

“Yes, sir,” one of them say. 

“What’s her name?”

Rey struggles against her restraints. 

“Goody Johnson,” Kylo provides. 

“She’ll be first on your docket tomorrow,” one says. 

“Take her to the jail,” Kylo says, pushing Rey toward the crowd. He walks away without another glance in her direction.

Rey refuses to show any sort of emotion as they transport her to the cold, dark jail.

🎃🎃🎃

Rey’s dragged to the courthouse early in the morning. She has her wits about her, and she knows what spells she plans on using. 

She just hopes Kylo is ready and will help her cast them without a spell book.

When she arrives, she hears townspeople talking about how Luke and the rest of the house disappeared overnight. Gone. No trace of them. 

If Luke had planned on leaving anyway, why did he make Rey leave first? Why would he leave her alone? It made her so upset -- everyone abandoned her. No one cared for her. 

She could tell when Kylo walks in he can sense her distress. He flashes her a quick look -- no one else would have caught it, but she nods and pulls herself together. 

The same allure from the woods hangs in the air. 

_What_ was it about him?

Rey shifts when she notices Snoke walk in. She notices Kylo stand up straighter when Snoke enters. Kylo hardens his face and doesn’t pay attention to Rey. 

It happens so fast, she thinks. She barely has time to think on her feet before Kylo begins to craft spells in the room. She’s mesmerized by his spell work. He pauses at one point, and glances at Rey. He motions for her to join him. He takes her hand in his and together they freeze time, _including_ for Snoke. 

Rey’s never felt so in control of the magic that flows inside her. She thinks Kylo might feel the same way and something sparks inside her. 

She stops thinking about that and focuses on the task at hand. Together, they work to restrain Snoke, moving him to the defendant’s chair. 

It’s eerie, Rey thinks. The way everyone is _frozen, unmoving, uncanny_. She could leave and no one would ever know. She could be free.

“We can charm the townspeople. You’ll never be a part of the trial. Just him. I’ll convict him. They’ll burn him at the stake. There’s no hope for him,” Kylo states. 

“What about the rest of his coven?” Rey asks. 

“They’ll listen to me. If not, we’ll prosecute them. I don’t want anyone who will use magic to harm others like we’ve done in the past. I want to be better.”

“Luke left,” Rey states. 

“I heard. I...I could have told you, Rey. It’s hard to trust Luke. I know he blames himself for me falling and for Leia dying. He just needs space. He’ll be back,” Kylo tells her. 

“Until then, what do I do?” Rey asks. 

“Stay. Don’t deny your magic. Don’t deny your feelings,” he says. His eyes drill holes in hers and she feels so uncomfortable being seen and known she wishes to run away. 

“I don’t deny my magic,” Rey retorts. 

“In the woods you were so convinced you had to use a spell book,” he counters. 

“That’s different--“

“--is it?”

“Yes,” she huffs. 

“I’m not going to create a coven. I’m not going to lead Snoke’s coven the way he did. I’m going to encourage you to explore your magic the way you think you want to. Don’t be afraid, Rey. I feel it too,” he says softly. 

“We should reset time. It’s been too long,” Rey says, deflecting. 

“Not until you promise me, Rey. Don’t run.”

She considers for a moment -- 

the sense of _lust, belonging, knowledge, power_ she feels around Kylo Ren. It’s inexplicable, the way she’s drawn to him. She’s never been so intrigued, scared, and ready to take on the world before --

and what if this is her destiny?

She considers once more Leia’s words about intuition. 

She gulps and nods. 

“I won’t,” she says and grasps his hand. 

Together, they reanimate everyone. Together, they break their spell. 

Kylo sends Snoke to the stake without trouble. Snoke _screams_ and pleads and begs. Kylo feels free for once.

And Rey does too, she thinks. 

_Contentment. Power. Knowledge. Care. Desire._

She’d never feel alone again.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on [twitter](https://www.twitter.com/literallynooc) and come chat with me! 
> 
> comments and kudos appreciated as always. thank you for reading!


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